And Meanwhile
by notsoloveablelaura
Summary: While the second Wizarding War is going on, things at Hogwarts are getting worse. But everyone's reason for fighting is love. When two members of Dumbledore's Army fall in love, what will they do when they are separated.


**Hey, so it isn't separated into chapters. I forgot to do that. Just imagine they're there if it makes you feel better.**

He always took time to think about that last year in Hogwarts. There were so many aspects to it which impacted his life so tremendously. Not only did he learn who he really was, he learned what he was really capable of. And, more importantly, he met someone that really made all of his hardships have meaning. It wasn't really as if they had _just _me, it had been almost three years. Three years where he now looks back and wonders what caused him to be so blinded to her perfection.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione. When they were gone is seemed like he finally got his opportunity to be courageous. He loved his friends dearly, but they were the reason, he so believed, that his bravery was so hindered. Yet at the same time, he would always know he was not just fighting for her, but for them.

Things between them hadn't started until the night of the Halloween Feast. Fine, he'd admit it, his feelings really began on the very first of September on the Hogwarts Express. That first night, she was the only thing in his thoughts, with her lovely pale complexion and beautiful white-blonde hair, conspicuous radish earrings, and most of all her unashamed of eccentricity. She didn't care what her peers thought. She spoke in a voice that held a dream-like quality and skipped around like she was the only one in the castle.

Where were these feelings all his life? Buried somewhere deep, but certainly they were always there. He grazed his eyes across the thinned-out dormitory he slept in for the past six years of his life. The few mates left from their dormitory at Hogwarts were deeply asleep. He thought of the nightmares they must be having. He knew he should be, too, and would have been having his own versions of those nightmares that pull your stomach and shake you until your tears spill. But not tonight. Tonight there would only be perverse, pleasant dreams of her.

Every day when he saw her, every class he was lucky enough to share with the Ravenclaw seventh years, he behaved like a lovesick fool, it seemed. The butterflies in his stomach floated around rapidly and made him sweat. He was worried that he opted to work with her in herbology much too quickly, or wasn't quick enough to come to her assistance when she was reprimanded for refusing to perform the Cruciatus Curse in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. But whatever the case was, she would just smile warmly at him. It may have meant nothing more that a friendship, but it always brought him a sort of dizzying joy.

But he finally saw his feeling returned to him on Halloween night. Right after that feast, a D.A. meeting was held. At the very end the whole room filed out to return to their common rooms. The two, plus Ginny, were the last ones to finish getting their things together before leaving. Ginny left first without a word. She was no doubt headed to her dormitory to cry as she had done every night this year. She was very worried for her family, and especially for Harry. He suddenly wondered if he would feel the same if this beautiful, quirky girl was taken from him.

The two walked toward the door of the Room of Requirement only a few moments after Ginny. In truth, he really wasn't intending on leaving this particular evening, but he couldn't bear spending another night without her. He wasn't sure why, but he yearned for her presence, her warmth, and the need for it increased by the day. _No, _he told himself, _you can't leave tonight, you have to keep the room open. _But unconsciously, he walked with her toward the door. She turned to face his with an amiable little smile as if to say good-bye. Than, to his shock, instead of employing her usual bubbly gait with a whip of her lush blonde hair to leave the room, she gave him a thoughtful look and walked forward, pulling him into a tight hug. If he thought she made him melt before, it was nothing compared to now. He smiled a stupid-looking grin of joy to himself and returned the embrace. As if he weren't dizzy with glee already, she did something to appease him even greater. She tilted up her adorable chin and touched her pale lips to his. He lost all sense of time and reality. All his past grief seemed like a thing out of a child's nightmare, trivial and unnecessarily worrisome. They could have been kissing for hours, days, he wouldn't have known. After some time, to his disappointment, she broke apart from him and flashed him a huge smile, contrasting greatly with her usual absentminded twinkle. Amid all of the terrible things going on in this world, all the grief and trepidation, he perversely felt warm and happy.

"Goodnight," he breathed quietly, as if there was any chance of being found in this room.

"Hm, I've been waiting to do that for a while. See you tomorrow, goodnight!" she beamed at him and skipped away.

He was lying on the little hammock in the Room of Requirement toying with his D.A. coin about an hour later thinking that somewhere, in the depths of the castle, she was thinking of him as fondly as he thought of her.

Through the next month, his morale had been lifted. That initial high from finally being hers had worn off, but he was still happier than he could ever remember being- oddly enough. They, along with Ginny, were beginning to find it fun making the lives of the Carrows difficult. They accepted the punishment with open arms, making a point that they were stronger than they looked. But his otherwise persistent guard would always let up around her. It was somewhat publicly known around Hogwarts that they were together, but thanks to all the traumas in the wizarding world, they got their privacy.

He loved her, and was certain of it. He was so happy around her. He was so overjoyed when they would kiss before parting ways at night after D.A. meetings. His heart fluttered whenever she clutched his hand with a sure grip. And he would always feel a renewed hope when she would hug him and simply say, "One day, it will all be alright."

Ginny didn't seem to find it weird being around the couple, thankfully. They all needed to stay together. Estranging would only make them weaker. Enmity would crack their steadfast miens, it could destroy Hogwarts.

Mid-November he witnessed his love in a state he wished he'd never need to see. The two Carrows had her tied up and were torturing her with he Cruciatus Curse. It was a totally different sensation when they were all being subjected to the curse _together_, but this was different. _Watching_ such a terrible thing happen to the one you loved was almost too painful to bear. Being witness to such anguish being inflicted on her was beyond any pain magic could bestow on him. The first emotion to course through him was horror. He felt his face grow hot and his stomach lurch like there was some sort of rope pulling at it to reverse it to inside-out. When the horror fled as fast as it had come, it was quickly replaced with anger. Such a rage he felt he could have killed. He ran forward blazing with white-hot fury pulsing through ever inch of his body.

"Let her go!" he cried, "What has she ever done to you? To deserve... _this!"_

Acymus Carrow spoke first with such indifference it could have irritated anyone "She had her detention today, isn't that right, strange girl?" he gave her a contemptuous glare and transferred it to the boy desperate to help her break loose of their clutches. Annoyance was plain on her face, and she did nothing to hide it as she struggled to free herself of the confinement. It wasn't an expression she often made manifest.

"This isn't right! You can't do this! Leave. Her. Alone. You blundering idiot. _You leave her alone!" _He said in a low tone through clenched teeth. He held that frightening glare steady with the siblings wavering from nothing outside of malevolence and animosity. He must have looked terrifying, because even the beautiful prisoner froze her grapple with the chains and stared at him curiously. She wasn't scared, simply curious. He wasn't shocked, they knew each other too well to be fearful of their presence. Suddenly it became clear that he had crossed yet another line, and would later pay for it. He didn't care in the slightest.

Alecto Carrow, with a speed like lightening, whipped out her wand from her sleek black robes and pointed it directly at him with a fierce glare. He was suddenly blinded with pain. _The Cruciatus Curse_, he thought. He'd been subject to it multiple times since September. Suddenly the pain was assuaged leaving him with the familiar feeling of weakness that was growing less potent each time. With a few feeble tremors, he brought himself stoically back up to standing. He did all in his power to mask his suffering and show that nothing could bring him to capitulate. Not now, not ever.

"Give me to her," he growled at both Carrows.

To his shock, they harshly unbounded her, and with a tiny yelp she was shoved forward into his arms. He would have liked to just hold her and relish in the fact that he'd saved her. But he couldn't do that just yet.

"Her detention was over, anyway," Acymus muttered and the two siblings turned and shuffled off to their offices.

Once the Carrows were out of sight, he pulled her in tightly and she leaned her head head against his chest. He rested his on her head, closed his eyes, and said, "As long as I live, I will never let them do that to you again." And so they Room of Requirement for tonight's D.A. meeting, holding each other close all the way there.

Before anyone knew it, December was upon them. They'd suffered a great deal in the past month. It was amazing what a strong, able front the entire club was capable of even in their darkest times. At the end of the last meeting before leaving the school for a week, they bid each other happy holidays and the best of luck- something they all needed.

The following day, all of the D.A. boarded the Howarts Express together. He made sure that he sat next to his girlfriend before they could not see each other for an entire painfully lonely week. The only thing that made it bearable was knowing that he would finally be seeing his Gran for the first time since the first of September. He missed her, a lot. He was fairly certain she was okay- the Death Eaters would probably have made any news that would be horrible to him into a grande celebration.

Suddenly, the whole train went silent. The last thing he wanted to do was leave this prepossessing girl's side, but he felt that as a leader of Dumbledore's Army, it was his duty to try to diffuse - or at least comprehend - the situation. He kissed her forehead, wishing he could never leave her, and turned to Ginny.

"I'll be back, I hope," he told them. His girlfriend snapped her head at his morbid statement with a concoction of shock and confusion on her face. It pained him to see this. So he slid open the compartment door and protruded his head from the threshold.

he was only slightly shocked to see a trio of Death Eaters strutting through the train with their vexingly imperial gait.

"Where is she? The daughter of the loathsome editor of the_ Quibbler." _Dolohov said in a bone-chilling monotone. His heart paused in fright and leapt to such a great speed, as if it could run it's way out of the dire situation. No, why did they want her? Why did it have to be _her?_ He wouldn't let them have her. But how could be protect her?

Suddenly beside himself in emotion, he spoke before his brain could censor his words, "NO!" he cried, despite anything that would have been sensible to do. But now that he'd opened his mouth, it wasn't going to shut. "YOU CAN'T BLOODY TAKE HER YOU REPUGNANT _GIT!_"

Macnair raised a single eyebrow. Macnair thought he was foolish, childish. He couldn't have been more naive. And now it was plain to the trio of Death Eaters that their treasure was lying in an almost palpable distance. The Death Eaters marched passed him, shoving him a bit to the side as they went. They slid open compartment doors, preceding cries of fear and shock. The best he could do now was close is eyes and hope they would return hapless. He knew his prayers were forlorn, but he kept his eyes locked shut, not wanting to see what they'd do to her. When suddenly he heard Ginny's pleading voice.

"Please don't take her! You mustn't! It's not fair, _please_!" She sounded on the verge of tears. The commotion caused his eyelids to flutter open to their own accord. His eyes paused momentarily on Ginny's desperate expression and acquiesced. His eyes drifted over to the editor's daughter, as she was being dragged ruthlessly off the train.

"STOP!" He screamed at a volume that should have exhausted his every cell, "WHY ARE YOU TAKING HER? LEAVE HER HERE AND GO!" but suddenly his speech became an incoherent series of babble. Maybe his cries of anguish really _had_ exhausted him more than he'd noticed, for he unconsciously sank down to the ground with his head being propped up by the cold wall of the compartments. Everything was cold. So cold a dementor could not have effected him. They took her, just like that. It felt like he'd never see her again. The thought made his hollow stomach lurch. He was empty. His head felt heavy, and without warning, he began to cry. What would his peers thing of that? Leader of Dumbledore's Army and perpetual badass, crying on display for the world. He didn't care. He suddenly felt a soft pair of hands gingerly pulling him by the elbow.

"Come on," Ginny told him in a low calming voice, "Let's go back to our seats."

He didn't reply, he had no strength for such a tawdry thing. He followed Ginny reluctantly back to his seat.

The whole way back to King's Cross, he cried. Ginny said nothing to him, but placed a reassuring hand on his knee. She knew how he felt. Suddenly he was extremely grateful to have a friend completely on his side.

Back on platform 9 3/4, Ginny have him a farewell hug and said, "I'm sure you'll see her again. Don't lose hope. I'm sure they'll keep her alive, remember what Macnair said?"

Truthfully, he hadn't even thought of them killing her. At the time he could only think of his life without his one true love. The thought of her death made his pain worse. But he didn't remember what the Death Eater had said. So he shyly shook his head and reluctantly brought his puffy, red eyes to meet Ginny's. She gave him a friendly smile.

"They will not kill her, unless old Xeno really _wants_ his daughter dead. Which I doubt."

He found his Gran on King's Cross. The week he spent with her for holidays came with a melancholy weight. he wondered if he would ever manage to be happy again. They made their annual Christmas visit to his parents as St. Mungo's, which normally gave him a strange sensation, like he was trapped in a stiff cinderblock. Like things would crash on him, but he couldn't break free. He loved his parents, but was never quite comfortable around them. It never seemed quite right to him that his parents were many years his senior, but so much younger than him. But this Christmas was different. This Christmas' visit was packaged with envy. He would have given anything to crawl into their skin and lye oblivious to the rest of the cruel, brutal world. And most of his jealousy derived from the fact that his parents had each other. They may have been helplessly thrown into a worser fate than death, but they were with each other. He would never get _his_ love back. If something happened to him, he wouldn't have his other. At least it seemed like it. Dumbledore had always said Voldemort didn't know love. Well, maybe he didn't know it, but he knew how to use it to his advantage. He knew just the precise way to toy with love and estrange it. How to puncture it just so it would tear cleanly apart.

On his return to Hogwarts, he found himself with double the motivation that he had left with. He wanted vengeance. Ginny understood his desires. She was an immense help. But the smaller-scale battle continued with him and the few Death Eaters he could access, and the work was as grueling as ever. He wanted to make a point to those abhorrent Death Eaters that they were willing to do anything for their cause, including die. Something inside him wanted to die rather than live his life without his imprisoned, airy, happy girl ever again. The thought made him cringe.

During Febuary, he had asked Ginny to wait in the Room of Requirement while he snuck some food from the Great Hall. He returned fifteen minutes later, one arm outstretched with a goblet of pumpkin juice for her. He hadn't realized that Ginny was crying. Her face was tear stricken and a small puddle was beginning to accumulate on her robes.

"Ginny! Are you alright?" He asked, emphasizing his genuine concern. She didn't look well, either. Her naturally pale complexion had gone stark white. He sat next to Ginny and wrapped a friendly arm around her back.

Her voice was shaky, "You are s-so brave, you know. even though y-your not w-with... My brother and them" - He realized at that moment that Ginny had not so much as uttered Harry's name once since September- "It d-doesn't mean you're n-not equally as bra-ave."

He contemplated those kind words for a moment. The reality of his and Ginny's friendship pleasantly crashed down on him. But what did her words mean? His content feeling fused with confusion.

"Does my bravery upset you," he teased, trying to loosen some of the tension. He took pride in the fact that he managed to get a tiny giggle and subtle smile to embellish the face that moments ago appeared as if it would never know joy again.

"Oh, yea," she said sarcastically, "But seriously, I just wanted you to know. You're as important to this war as they are. Imagine what Hogwarts would look like right now if we hadn't go the D.A. back together? It'd be a hopeless pit."

He smiled for the first time since that terrible day on the Hogwarts Express, "Thank you, Ginny. I really appreciate that," and he honestly did. He'd never received praise like that, before. Except maybe a few times in herbology class. But that was nothing. Than he remembered the current matter at hand, "Why are you crying, though? Please don't cry, Ginny."

She was too brave to admit she cried often, she had too much pride for that. But he knew that she cried frequently, and maybe Ginny realized he knew. She didn't have to say it. Ginny acted as if she told him every time she'd cried this year, and picked up her sentence from where she would have ended, "I just really love all of you. Everyone in D.A., Everyone at Hogwarts, My family..." Her voice strained at the last point, "I can't bare to think that all of us really could _die. _Maybe it's a little too girly for you to hear..." she paused and struggled to find the wording for her next sentence. But Ginny looked as if she needed someone to talk to, and he had no intentions on making her feel uncomfortable. He waited patiently until she finally spoke.

In a love voice, Ginny said, "I really love Harry. I honestly do. I know it's all been so complicated, but I just _love_ him and I can't help it. If only you understood how much I miss him, and how much I worry for him. Harry was your good friend, I know. But it's just..." Her sentence trailed off. He couldn't help thinking how much he really did understand what she was saying. How _painfully_ much he understood. But he realized he never told Ginny how in love he was. Ginny was one of his best friends, he felt guilty for keeping her in the dark.

He picked up her sentence before it could fall and break the conversation, "It's just different when you're in love."

She looked up at him with an illegible face. There was comprehension, shock, and a tiny bit of happiness, "You love her, I thought you might.

They looked at each other for a moment, like they were both finally seeing each other plainly for the first time. To both of their absolute shock, he broke down into hysterical sobs of pain and anguish. Even that day on the Hogwarts Express he hadn't cried so much. Ginny broke down as well, not very long after him at all. He hadn't actually cried with anyone before, there was something very therapeutic about it. After a while of both of of them drowning in each other's tears, he spoke.

"Don't tell anyone about this," he said a tad sarcastically, "I don't want to lose my good reputation with those Carrows," he winked.

Ginny giggled a bit and dismissed his statement, "I'm so glad to have a friend like you."

He nodded, "I have to say agree wholeheartedly."

They gave each other hugs and parted to their separate hammocks. Ginny couldn't go back to the Gryffindor dormitories at this hour, and he had intended- as he often did- to remain in the Room of Requirement over night to keep it open and undetectable. He shocked himself when he realized, as he rested his head against his hammock, that for the first time since the dat before Christmas holidays, he felt something other then despair and pain.

That fleeting moment of calm and sanity subsided quicker than it came. Every person in the D.A. was becoming accustomed to being tortured. All of their robes were tarnished, most were suffering some sort of mild injury or wound, and a select few had nasty looking gashes on their faces. April was fast approaching. That meant Easter holidays were rolling forward quickly. The weeks before were uneventful considering the circumstances. Sure, there was too much torturing for anyone's liking, but that was something that was becoming an inevitable part of Hogwarts life for a person in the D.A. Especially if you were one of it's leaders.

He spent his holidays with Gran telling the abominable tales of things transpiring at Howarts. With every story she would grin broadly and say confidently, "That's my boy, I always knew you had it in you."

By he didn't realize he would return to school with even more blunders to contend to than before. He couldn't find Ginny anywhere on the Hogwarts Express. That made him extremely nervous and anxious. He eventually capitulated his search and retired to a seat next to Seamus Finnigan. The very next morning, he tore a path straight to the owlery to send a message to the Weasleys. He realized when he arrived that there was no need. There was an owl already waiting for him.

_Listen, I can't come back to Hogwarts. Mum is worried. Good luck, I'll come to help you as soon as I can._

_Love,_

_Ginn_y

His heart raced and his head began to spin. He thought he might pass out. What would he do _now? _He'd have to run the D.A. alone. Their old ways of consistent rebellion would be stunted. He sighed. Whatever must happen would happen. He returned to the Room of Requirement to convey the dismaying news.

As time went on, matters became more pressing. The D.A. began skipping classes and residing in the Room of Requirement. The most difficult facet to the situation was acquiring food. The bloody room would not supply them with anything of the sort. Until one wonderful day, all of their morales were heightened. Before his eyes, right there in the opening to Hogs Head, was Harry, Ron and Hermione. He wasn't playing down the the things that they were physically subject to, they were really no big deal, but he decided not to mention his new relationship at all. The trio had more important things to worry about.

And then a few hours later, all hell had broken loose. The Battle of Hogwarts was easily the most horrific experience of his life. But amid all of the green light soaring from various wands, throughout all the limp, lifeless bodies and cries of pain, both emotionally or physically related, he saw it. He'd been dueling an anonymous Death Eater, without anyone by his side, when he saw a streak of blonde-white hair flying around as she dueled a Death Eater of her own. He needed to follow that minuscule blotch of alabaster color as badly as a bee needs to follow flowers. He did something one could only do when they seriously had elsewhere to be.

He contorted his wand to an awkward angle and cried the incantation, "_Petrificus Totalus" _ And he watched the death eater go stiff and crash to the ground like a block of wood.

He dashed to the girl's side and awkwardly flew right into her, "Oh my god," he said breathlessly, unable to believe his eyes. She looked back at him with the same incredulous stare and her jaw dropped.

He pulled her close and kissed her in a way that said he wanted to compensate for all the time that could be lost if one of them was to be killed. He would have rather it be his fate over hers in question, though. Living without her was something he already experienced, and for her silence to be eternal was too horrible a thought to think.

"I love you so much, more than I will love anyone in the world," he spoke fast. Darting his eyes around the Hogwarts grounds to be sure there were no curses flying directly at either of them. They may has well have been under and invisibility cloak, for no one seemed to even notice they were there.

"I love you so much, too," she said dreamily, like there was no battle, or Voldemort, or curses. As if life were perfect bliss.

She was on the brink of saying more, when they suddenly herd somewhere in a near distance "_Avada kedavra!" _ The curse just missed them when he pushed her tiny shoulders in the opposite direction as he jumped backwards. They gave each other a fleeting, affectionate look that said more than any verbal statement could contain, and darted off in opposite directions to return to the thick of the battle.

He only saw her once more during the battle, but he barely got a glimpse of her. In the aftermath of things, he ran through the Great Hall, studying the face of each body that once held so much life. As horrified as he was to see so many stiff, familiar faces, tranquil but drained of life, he couldn't help but feel perversely relieved that there was no one lying among the dead who was adorned with radish earrings and blonde hair.

Little did he know there was more to come. But when all was over, he felt truly like a hero for the first time in his life. Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall, gaily celebrating the end of the war. Surrounded by the buzz of the elated room, the couple sat next to each other in a secluded corner for the first time in months and had a proper conversation.

"_That_ was very brave of you. The way you killed that snake." She said lightly and flashed her commonly detached grin.

"Well, Harry sort of told me to-"

"And? The sword came out of the hat for _you_! That's brilliant!" She said excitedly.

He smiled out of awkward modesty, and it must have been obvious in his expression. She patted his knee and grinned a cheeky smile.

"I missed you very much, you know. Did you get my owl?" she asked

He had, infant, received her owl a few weeks ago, that consisted of reassurance that she was okay and that she would hope to see him soon.

"I did, thanks. I was really worried," he said staring down at his feet awkwardly. Why was he feeling so awkward? "I missed you _so_ much. You didn't tell me in the letter, though, what did they do to you? You're sure you're alright?"

He worried that he'd sounded too protective, but like always, she was, or at least seemed to be, unaffected by it. She smiled a feathery smile and said optimistically, "I'll tell you about it another time. I wasn't so much worse there than it was here, really. But right now it doesn't matter. We're _supposed_ to be celebrating how things can only get better from here!" she assured him, "Accept for that nasty nargle problem. They're getting worse you know?"

He grinned. He loved when she was eccentric like that. So dream-like in her words, like always. He couldn't help it. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. They're kiss was slow, satisfying, and perfect. Everything was finally perfect.

So Neville Longbottom tightened his grip around his wife of five years, Luna Lovegood. Neville closed his eyes and smiled at his memory. _Their_ memory. Luna looked up at him and gave him a light kiss and buried her head into Neville's chest.

"You look like you were thinking very deeply of something. What were you thinking of, Neville?" she asked with her dream-like quality of a voice.

He wasn't sure exactly how to answer that question, but eventually decided on simply saying, "Just everything good."


End file.
